Animated sign



G. A. ROGERS ANIMATED siGN Jane 7, 1938.

Original Filed Feb. 2, 1935 l l u A TTORN Y Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE ANIMATED' SlGN Glenn A. Rogers, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Magnalite Corporation, Los Angeles, California Calif., a corporation of Ciaims.

This invention relates to illuminated signs wherein the representation of some picture, letter, ligure, insignia or other device is caused to appear upon a suitable member by the projection 5 of light through properly arranged perforations in said member. In order to enhance the effect, beads or other transparent, refractive elements, usually of various colors, are secured within the perforations and the light is projected through them. The differently colored beads are preferably small so that intricate designs may be shown, and the colors are so arranged as to produce the best artistic effect. In particular, the invention relates to what has been termed animated signs, in which the rays of light passing through the beads are interrupted in such a manner and with such frequency as to give the appearance of ripples or wavelets of light. This attracts the attention of the by-passer by reason not only of its animation but of its striking beauty. The interruptions of the raysl of light are effected by moving a suitably perforated plate transversely across the rays between the light-source and the member carrying the beads. To produce the best eifect, the perforated plate should be given a non-linear motion. In the drawingJ have shown two structures for effecting such motion. In one, the plate is circular and is rotated about a central axis. In the other, it is carried upon two or more parallel crank-pins, as will be fully described. These structures are shown for illustrative purposes, and it is understood that other arrangements of the plate and other mountings and movements thereof may be .adopted to give the desired effects without departure from my invention. Further, the details shown and described may be varied. It is not intended, therefore, that the claims hereof be limited to the arrangements of the parts and to the details of structure shown any farther than their specific terms make necessary.

The perforated plate, or animator as it is herein termed, and the source of light are within a closed casing or cabinet, of which the front wall is the member carrying the beads. The animator is parallel to and closely adjacent said front wall. In that structure in which the animator is mounted upon the crank-shafts, any suitable type of electric motor may be employed for revolving the crank-pins. In the other and, for some reasons the preferred structure, the animator is the rotor of the motor.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a rear view of a part of a sign having the rear wall removed, showing one type of animator, a portion lof lwhich is broken `away to disclose a design on the face-plate; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1'; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View through the back-plate showing the lamp and mirrors .thereon; Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the magnet poles, showing theY so-called teaser mounted thereon; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a motor used in one form of my invention, a part of the ani.-

mator being indicated in broken lines, and Fig. 7

is a sectional view taken vertically lthrough the center of the magnet in Fig. 6.

Referring first to Figs. l, 2 and 3, I0 and I-I represent, respectively, the front and the rear walls of the casing or cabinet within which the movable members of the sign are enclosed. 'I'he top, bottom and side walls are designated I2. The front wall is referred to herein as the face-plate. It is provided with closely spaced perforations within which are the beads or other glass-like; elements I3, the same being arranged to form the design, emblem or other character which is to be displayed. In Fig. 1, the design is a simple star, which is shown in outline only. Oftentimes in practice the design comprises consider- .j able areas which are i'llled with the beads so closely spaced as to give the appearance of a continuous or solid surface, and the beads may be of various colors, if desired. The face-plate may be made of any suitable material. If the sign be intended for such uses as subject it to dampness or other destructive conditions, it is preferably made of sheet-metal and coated with a suitable varnish, enamel or other substance. Likewise,

the other walls may be made of any suitable ma- .e

terial and so coated. Near the rear wall is a source of light such as an electric lamp I4. But one lamp is shown, but it is to be understood that others may be employed if found desirable or necessary for the proper distribution of light over the design on the face plate. Such distribution may be furthered by the use ofY a frosted lamp bulb and by the application thereto of a patch of aluminum paint, as shown at Illa. The

inner surface of the back-plate is preferably polished or otherwise treated to make it a reflector. Mirrors I5 may also be employed to help distribute the light. As shown, both the lamp and the mirrors are mounted on the back-plate, but they may be supported from any other suitable n part of the sign structure'. The mirrors are preferably adjustable angularly, like the rear-view.V mirrors in automobiles. Y Y

Closely adjacent the inner surface ofthe froxt1y plate I0 and parallel Ythereto is a disk :I6 fwhichl ,'70 Yscrew 25. In orderY that the spacesV betweenthe is herein termed the animator. From its center projects a rearwardly-extending shaft I'I, whichV yl 8 be made solid withthe animator turning about its end. 1 The precise nature of the mounting for the'animatorV is not material, it being merely neclumination over the' entire design on the face-V "is the rotor element of an induction motor.

essary to have the animatorscentrally held for rotation. s .Y Y

The animator is provided with concentric rows of perforations throughout thatv part which is parallel with the face-plate I0. The perforations 2!) of the outer row are relatively large;'but'those of theother'rows diminish in size progressively as the rows approach the center. Moreover, the perforations in one row are staggered with respect to those of the adjacent rows, as shown. If Vthis arrangement of diminishing sizes of perforations were carried out to the center of the animator, the perforations ofthe inner rows would be too small. As will be seen, therefore, the perforations of the inner rows are larger than they would have been if the rarrangement described had been carried through to the center of the animator.' As nearly as possible, the sizes and arrangement of the perforations should be such as to give a uniform Vilplate. Y

The animator is'preferably of aluminum'having 'a' gauge of from 28 to 30. If it were thinner than that, the metal would tend to buckle, whereas, Vif it were kof a thicker gauge it wouldV not only be unnecessarily heavy and harder to turn but would interfere with thediffusion ofthe light.

I have discovered that if the animator is too thick, the light falls upon the face-plate in spots the source Yof light shouldv benot less than six an Y one-half inches fromtherface-plate.

VVVarious kinds of driving means Ycould be employed for rotating the animator, but' I preferY the simple structure shown, wherein the kanimator To Y better adapt it for that purpose, it is provided i Vbetween the poles 2Iof an electro-magnet, the coils for which are shown at 22 and the yoke atV Y with a flange Ia which extends rearwardly fromY about its outer edge.

'2-3. Preferably, theV magnet is positioned'atone corner of'thecasing as otherwise the outerrpoleV would necessitate a smaller animator. K As shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5a portion of thead- Ajacent faces of each of.V the magnetfpoles is covered with a sev-called teaser 24V,V thesame comprising one or more plates of nonfmagnetizable These Y plates areY metal, preferably copper, shown as semi-circular disks so as to cover half ofthe face of the magnet, to V.theY pole of which they are suitably but rigidly attachedias byY a Ateaserssand therotor flange I Gamay be as narrow Y A175v as practicable'the heads of thescrews 25 are prefvably".countersunk into 'the outer faces ofw the teaserspas shown. Y

The magnet may be held in position by any suitable means, as by a bracket 26. Since in a rectangularly-shaped casing or cabinet 'the most ample space outside the flange Itct of the animater is at the corners, I prefer to place the magnet at one of the latter, adjacent which the bracket is attached. The bracket israngular, having a part which is` extended lat a right angle to the magnet yoke 23. "The outer pole piecerZIV is Yshouldered at 2'! where it abuts against the yoke, and is provided with an extension 28 which extends through an aperture in the yoke and is adapted to turn therein. A shouldered screw 29 1 extends through the bracket 26Y and is threaded Vinto the pole piece,v the shoulder abutting against the end of the latter so that the screw may be set very tightly without clamping the bracket.Y Preferably, a suitable washer 33 surrounds the shoul, dered part of the screwbetween the bracket andV thel serewhead. With such a structure, the screw may be turned in the bracket, thus to turn -the pole piece and the teaser 2 4 thereon. The upper pole-piece is, by Va similar structurermade rotatable in theiupper end of the yoke. vIn order that Y projected. As is ,obvious, the flange Ia may be omitted to leave a fiat circular disk for the anif i mater. in such oase, the magnet poles would be horizontal on opposite sides of the disk and no aperture in the casing would bev necessaryV for inserting a screw driver.

wired for connection with `a source of alternating current, and that rapidly alternating elds of magnetic lines of force will Ypass between the pole-pieces and throughV the rotor-flange Ia, Thus will electro-magnetic forces-be set up whichY may be utilized to turnthe rotor in either direction desired and at variable speeds. The changes insdirection and speed are effected by turning the be turned in one direction at its maximum speed. Y'

If the teasers be turned through the rotor will be rotated in the opposite direction at its maximum speed.

so balanced as to neutralize one another, and the When turned but half way, orl through 90, the forces acting upon the rotor are rotor will stop. When turned in either direction i from the neutral position the rotor will turn in a direction dependent upon the directionV the teasers have been turned and at a speed dependent upon:

thus regulating the directionV and speed of the rotor, the desired lighting effects may be secured. Y Y

it is obviousthat rotors or animators ofany de-Y sired-size may be employed. One having arlarrge the 'angle through` which they have beenzturned .y

until the maximum speed has been attained. By

diameter will, of course, be heavier and somewhat` y harder to turn than one with a small diameter.'- V But thisy disadvantage with the increase of size is offset bythe fact that the forces which effect' the rotation are applied'at 'the outer odg-cof 'the rotor and the larger the diameter the greaterthe radius or lever throughwhich the 4force acts.

mator, the outline of which is indicated at 3Ia., upon parallel crank-pins 32 which project from cranks 33 secured to parallel shafts 34 and 35. These shafts are provided with gears, 36 and 31 respectively, of the same size, which are connected by an idler gear 38. 'I'he shafts are thus rotated at the same speeds and in the same direction and the crank-pins move together and describe equal circles. The animator, being carried by these pins, is moved bodily and every part of it is carried through a circular orbit of the same diameter as the orbits of the crank-pins. The animator is preferably a rectangular aluminum plate with rows of perforations therein, the perforations of one row being staggered with respect to those of the adjacent rows. The spacing of the animator from the front plate, its thickness, and the distance from the light source to the face-plate are as set forth with reference to the form first described, but the perforations are preferably all of the same size. In practice I have found it desirable to make the diameter of the perforations 1A; inch and the distance between their centers of an inch.

In Fig. 6, the shafts 34 and 35 are journaled in suitable standards 39 which project from a base-plate 40. The electro-magnet is substantially the same as that of Fig. 2, but the yoke 23a lies flat upon the base plate to which it is suitably secured. The pole-pieces, not shown, extend horizontally and are turned through adjusting screws 29a for the purpose described. The rotor, 4I, is a plain flat disk of aluminum which is secured to a shaft 42 that is journaled in brackets 43, the latter being supported in any suitable way, as from the magnet yoke. On the shaft 42 is a pinion 44 which is geared with the gear wheel 36. As will be understood, when the direction of rotation of the rotor is reversed by turning the screws 29a and the teasers, the direction of rotation of the cranks is likewise reversed so that the perforations in the animator are turned backwardly in their orbits.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a plain metallic disk secured to said shaft, alternating current electro magnetic means for acting inductively upon said disk to rotate it and said shaft, an animating member consisting of a flat plate with perforations therein, a plurality of cranks having pins upon which said member is supported, and gearing connecting said shaft with the said cranks to revolve the crank-pins in orbits, whereby the animating member is moved bodily in such manner as to cause the perforations therein to move in orbits having the same diameters as the orbits of the crank-pins.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a shaft, a metallic disk secured to said shaft, alternating current electro magnetic means arranged to act inductively upon said disk to rotate it and said shaft, an animating member consisting of a at plate with perforations therein, a plurality of pins to which said member is connected and through which it is moved, a pinion attached to said shaft, and gears connected with said pinion and with said pins whereby the rotation of said gears causes the pins to move in circular orbits and the animating member to be moved bodily in such a manner that the perforations therein describe circles having the same diameters as the orbits of said pms.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 havingv means for regulating the inductive action of the electro-magnetic means whereby the speed of rotation of the disk may be varied.

4. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an animating member consisting of a flat plate with perforations therein, a plurality of cranks having pins upon which said member is supported, and gearing connecting said shaft with the said cranks to revolve the crank pins` in orbits, whereby the animating member is moved bodily in such manner as to cause the perforations therein to move in orbits having the same diameters as the orbits of the crank pins.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an animating member consisting of a flat plate with perforations therein, a plurality of pins to which said member is connected and through which it isY moved, apinion attached to said shaft, and gears connected with said pinion and with said pins, whereby the rotation of said gears causes the pins to move in circular orbits and the animating member to be moved bodily in such a manner that the perforations therein describe circles having the same diameters as the orbits of said pins.

GLENN A. ROGERS. 

